On the record

A Northampton couple hit the headlines earlier this year when video clips from their home security system got their antisocial neighbours evicted. Paul and Carol Mitchell presented CCTV footage to their neighbours’ landlord, who then removed the abusive family that had committed, in the words of The Sun, “more than 200 yobbish incidents in under a year”.

While extreme, it seems the Mitchells are not unique. Surveillance equipment is no longer the preserve of city centres and business premises – up and down the country private citizens are installing cameras and monitoring equipment of their own, whether it be to record evidence of anti-social behaviour, to deter burglars or simply to keep tabs on the kids.

“The media has a massive impact on people’s awareness of their own personal security and their belongings. With this in mind, many home owners are now looking to protect their own personal surroundings – we have seen a massive uptake in home DIY camera kits,” comments Dean Langford, EntaTech’s CCTV product specialist.

As the technology becomes more affordable and accessible, its popularity with home users increases. “We have seen a major growth in the capturing and recording side of our business. With storage and memory prices coming down we’re able to sell products with an increased video capacity,” says Alastair Park, Swann Security’s sales manager for Europe.

One element of the surveillance sector that has seen significant growth in recent years is IP cameras – also known as network cameras. Although technically available since the nineties, use of the device has only become widespread since broadband, and later wi-fi, hit the mainstream. Unlike traditional CCTV, network cameras allow the user to view their footage from anywhere via a secure web log-in, even from a 3G phone. With high-resolution images and the capability for digital zoom, the picture quality is often superior to analogue systems.

“Given the availability and penetration of broadband and the increasing simplicity of IP cameras, they’re coming into the fore as the next step in the evolution of how individuals would like to protect the people and places important to them,” says Paresh Morjaria, MD of EyeSpy247.

Recent developments in networking equipment have also had an impact on the home security sector – HomePlug technology, for example, utilises existing power sockets to extend the user’s network. “People don’t like running new cables around the house, so HomePlug technology is popular. Wireless is a poor alternative as it requires constant replacement of batteries, which will, inevitably, be flat the day somebody tries to break into your house,” explains Toby Williams, business development manager of CE products for Logitech UK and Ireland.

Although many home users might be daunted by the prospect of physically installing a surveillance system, Williams insists it’s not the arduous task it might seem. “The latest systems are very easy to install – just plug a camera into a mains socket, and load the software onto your PC, and you’re away. It’s a 15-minute job to be up and running. Adding further cameras is simple as well – just plug them into a mains socket and tell the PC to scan for new cameras. Compared with systems that require professional installation, the latest selfinstall systems are very affordable,” adds Williams.

However, Micro-P’s networks product manager, Rods Slater, believes that sometimes installation is best left to the experts. “If you’re using wireless home security products then it is easy to do it yourself. However, I would always recommend using an installer as they have the equipment and training necessary to safely carry out installation of cameras and provide advice on the best placement of the security products,” he suggests.

According to research conducted by Swann, its security products are most frequently used among low to middleincome earners – dispelling the notion that CCTV equipment is used only by the super-rich. “The internet has helped drive down the price of the overall solution, while technological developments and the sheer volume of cameras on the market today mean that CCTV is no longer a specialised solution,” observes Tony Howard, business unit manager at CCI. “It will continue to grow, as long as the fear factor remains – be that anti-social behaviour in the community or fear of local and global terrorist activities.”

Ben Asher, senior account manager at KMS Components, echoes this view: “It is a sad fact that in this day and age it is not just theft that we need to protect ourselves from. Vandalism, anti-social behaviour and bullying are prominent in most areas, regardless of a household’s income. Home security has become much more affordable recently and can be adapted to be suitable in any sort of area.”

As CCTV products become more affordable, is there still a decent profit to be made? According to Slater, the answer is yes. “Online resellers of boxes still see a good margin – particularly with the newer technologies,” he notes. “For installers who actually go and do site surveys and installations, the margins are excellent with service revenue – i.e. installation and maintenance – being the larger part of the profit pie.”

Langford agrees, telling PCR that Enta’s CCTV range offers much larger margin opportunities for resellers than other sections of the distributor’s portfolio. Putting the benefits for the channel aside, are surveillance systems a good deterrent? The media may focus on tales such as the Mitchells’, but there are an almost equal number of stories claiming that criminals pay no attention to a camera, even if it’s pointing directly at them.

“The prevalence of outdoor CCTV in and around most city centres has desensitised most people to the extent that they no longer regard it as a deterrent and accept that their actions will be recorded,” says Morjaria. “However, statistics have proved CCTV inside individual properties does have the ability to act as a deterrent, as interlopers are more keenly aware of them.”

Asher adds: “CCTV may not stop anti-social behaviour altogether, but it certainly helps to keep it away from your family and personal space. And if the worst happens, it can provide you with the information needed to catch offenders and send a warning out to all those who would disturb the peace.”

LOGITECH INDOOR VIDEO SECURITY MASTER SYSTEMSRP: £279Distributor: Gem DistributionThey say: Gives you peace of mind even when you’re not aroundSpecs: Includes software, USB receiver and indoor camera, homeplug and ethernet connectivity, footage can be stored and viewed later, motion activated mobile and email alerts, remote viewing online, support for up to six indoor and outdoor cameras

SWANN DVR4-950SRP: £499.99Distributor: EntaTechThey say: The DVR4-950 kit protects your home or business with total security coverageSpecs: Four all-weather day and night cameras, seven-inch LCD monitor, two remote controls, hard drive capacity up to 320GB, simultaneous viewing and recording of all cameras, motion detection

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